


Theory of Cycles

by DoctorV



Series: Archive: Doc's Old-Ass Comics Fic (DC, JLU, etc.) [46]
Category: Blue Beetle (Comics), Booster Gold (Comics), DCU, DCU - Comicverse, Justice League, Justice League International (Comic)
Genre: Abstract, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Post-Nuclear War, Character Death Is From Old Age, Gen, M/M, Retirement, Timelines, happy ending (sorta)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-22
Updated: 2006-08-22
Packaged: 2019-05-08 09:07:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14690906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorV/pseuds/DoctorV
Summary: This is the beginning and the end...





	Theory of Cycles

**Author's Note:**

> Archiving some old old OLD fanfic of mine. This was originally posted to LiveJournal 08/22/2006, with the author's note:  
> "...I don't know. I was going through prompt lists and found one at mixpotions for AUs. There I saw this quote: "In this world, time is a visible dimension... So one may look out in another direction and see births, marriages, deaths that are signposts in time, stretching off dimly into the far future." Suddenly, I was hit by an attack of...I don't even know what to call it. Obscurity? o_0 Bleh. Anyway, from that this was spawned. (AU, I suppose. At least from current DC continuity.)  
> If you can catch all the references and cliches, more power to ya because my brain is a solid chunk of trivia and even I don't know what-all spilled out. Oh, except the title. I got that from HERE.  
> [EDIT: _Abstract._ The word I was looking for was "abstract." That's how I felt when I was writing this, and that's how it turned out.]  
>  No beta! Whee! :D"

This is the beginning and the end.

 

This is humanity, slowly inventing civilization.

 

This is trial and error. This is a world being built.

 

This is Theodore Kord. He's just been born and has no idea he's already been to the dawn of creation.

 

This is childhood, and the trials and tribulations of it, and the shaping of a person. This is Ted Kord who was once Theodore and briefly Teddy but hereafter Ted.

 

These are things that happened but will be forgotten or changed.

 

This is a world burning and dying, this is life during wartime, this is a crisis.

 

These are heroes.

 

This is a new world made old that has such people in it. This is a world rebuilt.

 

This is Blue Beetle who was once Theodore and briefly Teddy and hereafter also Ted.

 

This is a new beginning and these are its heroes.

 

This is a wrinkle in time, bringing a new hero into their midst. This is Booster Gold who was once Michael Carter and briefly "criminal" but hereafter Booster.

 

This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

 

This is a world on the brink of war, of chaos, of catastrophe, of self-destruction, of intergalactic peril, of the end of all life. This is how it was saved, and these are the sacrifices made.

 

This means something.

 

These are things that never happened but could have or should. These are things that happened but couldn't have or shouldn't.

 

These are hurt feelings and broken hearts. This is picking up the pieces and putting them back together.

 

These are turning points in history. These are turning points in lives. These are moments too small for history to note but everything to individuals.

 

This is friendship. This is loyalty. This is love.

 

This is life.

 

This is a smile, a laugh, a meaningful look, a sudden understanding, a sharp fear, a brief denial, an overcoming, a coming together.

 

This is love. This is togetherness. This is commitment.

 

This is life shared.

 

These are friends. These are family. These are friends who are family and family who are friends.

 

This is tragedy. This is comedy. This is laughter and tears. These are moments and memories that live on in hearts and minds.

 

This is happiness.

 

This is retirement.

 

This is not even close to settling down. This is pulling the old costumes out of mothballs. This is amazement that they still fit.

 

This is one last spitting in the eye of extinction.

 

This is victory.

 

These are sore muscles, aching joints, contented smiles, and satisfaction at a job well done.

 

This is retirement again.

 

These are get-togethers with good old friends to reminisce about the good old days. This is a moment of silence for the friends who aren't there to reminisce. These are stories about those lost on the way. This is laughter and tears, forgiveness and redemption, catharsis and healing.

 

These are things that will never be forgotten.

 

These are long and meaningful lives that will be remembered for years to come, and this is how they end.

 

This is life.

 

This is death.

 

This is wheels within wheels, spinning into infinity.

 

This is humanity, ever striving toward greatness and destruction in equal measures.

 

This is a nuclear holocaust. These are fragmented, scattered survivors. This is life after the end of the world.

 

This is humanity struggling, slowly returning itself to civilization.

 

This is hope and a new tomorrow. This is a world being rebuilt.

 

These are remnants of humanity's past, now kept in museums. This is to remind people what once was and what could be again, to remind people what was lost and how it could be lost again.

 

This is humanity as it always is: diverse. These are the haves, these are the have-nots, these are the different people who make up society, who live and work and play and dream.

 

This is Michael Carter. He's just been born and has no idea he's already died.

 

This is the beginning and the end.


End file.
